Instructor Class Description

Latin American Studies Seminar

Class description

Facing often dangerous and difficult conditions, ordinary people have been able to do extraordinary things through collective action. Yet civil society is not always so civil and collective action can often be used to advance agendas of intolerance. This course introduces students to the main theoretical approaches to social movements and collective action (from economics, sociology, political science, and anthropology) and explores important cases of collective struggle in the Americas and beyond.

Case studies will include the U.S. civil rights movements, Landless Peoples Movement in Brazil, indigenous movements in the Andes, the mothers and grandmothers of the disappeared in Argentina, and animal rights movements in the U.S. We will also examine some of the darker sides of civil society through explorations of some disturbing cases of collective action and violence including anti-immigrant organizing in the U.S. and the Dominican Republic.

Student learning goals

General method of instruction

Recommended preparation

Class assignments and grading

The information above is intended to be helpful in choosing courses. Because the instructor may further develop his/her plans for this course, its characteristics are subject to change without notice. In most cases, the official course syllabus will be distributed on the first day of class.
Last Update by Jose A Lucero
Date: 11/05/2011

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Modified:January 16, 2013